


The Story for a Song

by ReniWolf



Series: The Story for a Song [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-23
Updated: 2013-10-29
Packaged: 2017-12-30 07:23:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1015774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReniWolf/pseuds/ReniWolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sansa refuses to sing a song to the Hound when he first asks for it, but tells him a story of the little bird and the hound instead. But stories change. Please Rate & Comment. Thank you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Start of the Tale

“What is the king’s little bird doing out here all alone?” The Hound’s steel-on-stone voice brought her back to her senses and she took a hurried step back. In truth, she didn’t know what she was doing here, wondering the hall of the Red Keep she hated. She just knew that she couldn’t stay in her room or she would suffocate. She glanced shyly at the Hound before averting her gaze. “I am sorry, Sir. I was only…” He grabbed her arm roughly and she stifled a gasp. “I am no Sir; I am dog, the king’s dog. And you are his bird. Do you have a song for me little bird? Something about knights and fair maidens. Sing.” She was quiet, her breath lunged in her through. “Sing!” He commanded again and shook her. She didn’t know what possessed her, but words suddenly started to form themselves and came out of her mouth. “I don’t know any songs, not anymore.” She looked him straight in the eyes as she said this and saw the surprise spark there. He wouldn’t hurt her, she knew. And it must have been this knowledge that made her continue. “…But I know a story. It’s about a little bird and a hound.” His eyes narrowed but he said nothing, so she continued. “Once there was a little bird that lived with a pack of wolves. One day a pride of lions came, broke her wings and put her in a gold cage. The bird was slowly dying.” The Hound’s grasp on her upper arm tightened so much that she was sure he would leave bruises but still he did not interrupt. “With the lions lived a big scared hound. But even though he lived with them, he felt lonely so he came to the little bird and asked her for a song.”She took a deep breath and continued. “But the bird didn’t sing. ‘I can’t sing in the cage’ she told him ‘but if you would let me out I would gladly sing for you’.” She saw the hound’s eyes widen and quickly continued. “So the Hound broke her cage and fought the lions who tied to stop him. He took his little bird into his jaws, ran north with her and every night she sang to him the sweetest songs she knew.” She paused, gasping for breath, shocked by her own boldness and waited for his reaction. There was none. The hound’s scared face twitched and looked even more terrible than he usually did. A face from a nightmare. He stared at her with wide eyes, his body immobile like a statue. A drunken laughter lifted in from bellow and he jerked and let go of her hand. “Get back to you cage little bird.” His voice was rough but he didn’t meet her gaze. Sansa opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say. The Hound turned and left her.  
Sansa was nearly beside herself the whole week. The story she told the Hound could be seen as treason, and why she wanted to believe that he would not hurt her, she feared he might tell Jeffrey. He was his sworn shield after all. But when nothing happened by the second week from her encounter with the hound she began to calm down. That’s why she was so startled when the door to her bedchamber was yanked open and the pale moon illuminated the Hound’s large frame blocking the door. She stifled a scream. What can he want? It’s been so long since we talked… He mind was so preoccupied that she didn’t see him start towards her bed. It was only when the mattress sunk that she began to panic and crawled away from him. “Not so brave now, little bird?” His tone was once again mocking. “Sir, pray tell me what do you think you’re doing?” Sansa pulled at the covers to hide her light shift even though it was too dark to see properly. “I am no Sir.” He spat. “I am the Hound and I have come to take my little bird from her cage.”


	2. The Fist Song Taken

          She was frozen into place. Did I hear him wrong? The Hound let out a quiet but rumbling laugh. “The tale didn’t mention that bird shrank from the hound when he came for her.” “She didn’t think that he would come.” Sansa whispered. He paused for a moment, then stood up and threw a bundle at her. She grabbed it, uncomprehending, it was a servant’s dress. “Get dressed.” His voice was emotionless but his body was tense as a bowstring. Sansa hurriedly pulled it over her nightshift and turned to the Hound once more. “May I…” She swallowed under his intense stare and hurriedly finished. “May I take a few things with me?” “I already have everything that you will need, but if there is something important…” He shrugged and finished. “Just make sure you don’t take too many trinkets with you.”Sansa nodded and hurried to a chest in the corner of the room. There was only one thing that she wanted to take with her, it was the doll her father bought her. His last gift to her, she felt her vision blur at the memory and stood up quickly, turning towards her savior. If that’s what he is. The though came unbidden, but it was already too late to change her mind. She took a step towards him. “I am ready Sir.” He didn’t correct her this time and she had an acute feeling that his eyes hadn’t left her for a moment. He turned around and walked into the hall, and she flew after him like the bird she was.

           The way through the castle passed like a dream. Sansa jumped at every little sound but the halls were eerily quiet, even the stables were empty, the horses unguarded. It felt like a walking dream until a pair of strong hands grabbed her waist and lifted her into the air. Sansa nearly screamed before realizing it was the Hound. He put her on Stranger’s back and jumped on behind her. “There ends the simple part.” He whispered into her ear. “While we’re passing the gate, there will be no chirping, little bird, is that clear.” She nodded, her throat so tight that she wasn’t sure if she could speak if she wanted to. The gate was almost in sight when the Hound whispered again. “Cover your face and start crying.” And nudged Stranger forward. Sansa did as she was bid. Her heart was so loud in her ears that she heard nothing of the exchange between the Hound the soldiers. When Stranger started moving again, she started to cry in earnest, this time from relief. “Keep that up.” The Hound murmured as he rode towards the northern gate, where the scene was repeated and then they were free.

          Sansa pulled the hands from her face and the breeze felt like the Mother’s blessing. Stranger picked up pace until she felt as though they were flying. The joy of being free again was so strong that she couldn’t stop smiling. She forgot completely on the presence behind her until his breath warmed her ear. “The little bird is happy again, is she? Out of her cage.” “Yes.” Sansa whispered, suddenly very aware of his presence behind her. The woods closed in around them and no moon lit their path, leaving them in absolute. Stranger slowed to a brisk walk and the Hound tightened his hold on her. “Sing for me now then little bird.” He pulled her even closer and buried his face in her hair. “The sweetest songs you know.””Just like in the story.” Sansa whispered. “Quite so, unless you wand the story changed and the Hound taking a different reward from his little bird.”He almost growled the last words and Sansa hastened to a please him. She sang the Mother’s hymn first, than Jocquil and Florian and then many more until her throat was too raw to make a sound and she so tired that she fell asleep, right there in Hounds unyielding embrace and to his undisturbed silence.


End file.
